If you want to check if your network is working properly or to find out if a computer or server is operating you can use the ping command. The ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) echo function is used by the Ping command. When you use this command a small packet of information is sent to the computer or the server that you are checking. The command listens to the server to see whether the sent data is received intact. You will be using the IP address of the computer that you want to check, in the ping command. Usually 64 bytes of data is sent to the computer. The time taken to get the data back is calculated. With this the speed of the network is determined. If the data is not returned back it might indicate a problem with the computer or the network. It might also indicate that the computer at the other end might be very busy!